Love Thy Neighbor
by Melly15
Summary: What if your destiny lived right upstairs? Sango's about to find out what it's like to live with temptation.
1. Love Thy Neighbor: Prologue

Love Thy Neighbor - Prologue

* * *

The whole thing started with a leaky pipe. Not a big deal. Except, Sango hadn't noticed it at first. Steadily over time, the pipe started to rust , and one day, the whole thing burst. And this, brings us to the current situation.....

* * *

-SATURDAY EVENING-

" What do you MEAN I have to move out?!"

"Well, until the pipe is fixed , you'll have to stay elsewhere. All of the carpeting will have to come up so the floorboards can be dried, and we'll have to shove all of your furniture into the rooms that aren't wet. Now, what you should do is quickly pack any necessities you'll need for the next week-" The landlord, Mr. Genru, was abruptly cut off.

" A WEEK?! I CAN'T BE GONE FOR A WEEK! I HAVE WORK, AND SCHOOL! WHERE THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO GO!"

Once the landlord placed the receiver back against his ear, he tried talking calmly to her. " Well, either stay with a friend, or find another tennent who's willing to give up their couch."

Sango knew where this was leading. By suggesting she stay with a tennent, she knew he meant only one. Miroku Buradoshi. The landlord tended to treat Miroku like the son he never had, whether he did so by running his errands, or finding him a girlfriend. The first day Sango moved in, Mr. Genru had INSISTED that Miroku help her. The day had consisted mainly of him flirting with her, and her slapping him for touching her behind. And still, after a year of the daily grope-slap routine, the old man continued to try and play Cupid.

" Mr. Genru, is there no other empty apartment that I can use while mine's being repaired?" Sango gave a sigh, bordering on annoyance.

" Sorry Sango. All the other blocks are full. The only one with any spare room left is-"

" Miroku. Yes I know. You remind me everyday of how lonely he must be, all by himself in that big, cold apartment." Sango tried her best to hide the sarcasm in her words. She glanced up when she heard a knock on the door. " Hold on, I have to get the door."

" Well, I won't take up any more of your time. Just tell me your plans by Sunday evening." and with that said, he hung up the phone.

Sango went and answered the door. Standing there were several men she had never seen before.

" Um, can I help you?"

" Yeah, we're from Jidai Remodeling and Repairs. Are you Sango Natsumi?"

" Um, yes, but I didn't send for anyone..."

" A Mr. Genru said we needed to be here as soon as possible. So, show us where to start."

Oh yes. The old man was tricky. Send the workmen over quickly, so she is forced to leave. But of course, without any plans most people just turn to the closest, or best, solution. Sango's closest being Miroku. At one time, she had thought the lanlord to be senile. But no, the man was truly an evil genius.

* * *

The noise level was crazy, and all of the furniture had been shoved into Sango's bedroom, making it impossible to sleep in there. Since the living floor had to be dried, Sango's only remaining sleeping place was her car. But how can you live out of your car for a week? Sure, you could sleep there, and change in it if you didn't mind putting on public shows. But, Sango didn't much care for fast food, and public toilets were repulsive. So she had to consider her options. Her only real friend was Kagome Higurashi, but she lived in Tokyo, which was a good 2 hours away. Her family had all been killed two years ago in a train accident, and as far as she knew her parents had both been only children, thus ruling out the possibility of staying with uncles or cousins. Her boss was a royal pain, and she didn't have any close friends at the University, merely casual ones. So she was left with two options: A: Stay in her car. B: Stay with Miroku. True, he was a lecher, and he got on her nerves, but, maybe, just maybe if she tried hard enough, she could ignore the groping and the lude comments. But Sango had a secret. A deep dark secret she hoped no one, especially Mr. Genru, ever found out. The first moment she had seen Miroku, her mind had only been able to register one word: GORGEOUS. She was insanely attracted to him, but she could never admit it. He brought home a different woman every night, and quite frankly, Sango was jealous. The only part of Sango Miroku had ever shown any interest in was her backside.

She looked around her bedroom. She had packed all of her toiletries, and several changes of clothes. So, her mind made up, she hauled her bags onto her shoulders, left her apartment , and made her way up to the top floor. She passed D-1. How bad could one week be? D-2. Surely he would get tired of her and ignore her.... D-3. She could just leave early and get back late. D-4. Maybe she should have called first. D-5. Miroku's door. Taking one calming breath, she raised her hand and knocked. She only had to wait ten seconds before Miroku opened the door. Damn him for being so goodlooking! He appeared to have just climbed out of bed, seeing as how he had on only sweatpants. His mouth spread into a lascivious grin that made Sango's stomach clench.

" Well, well, well. Sango. What brings you to my door so early on a Sunday morning?"

At first she forgot why she was there. Having decided it might be best not to look him in the eye, she had dropped her gaze. Big mistake. Seeing as how he had no shirt on, she was staring directly at his naked chest. No man should EVER look this good!

" I, um...I spoke to the landlord last night.. He uh...he said he had told you about my apartment." Sango hated the fact that whenever she was near him, she became tongue-tied.

" Oh yes. And I'm sure he told you that you're more than welcome to stay with me." He looked like the cat that ate the canary. Sango wanted to rub that grin off of his face. Or better yet, kiss it off.

" Oh um, yes...he did," she took a breath." And I decided to take you up on your offer.

Miroku's face took on a look somewhere between shock and joy. He quickly recovered and that heart-stopping grin was back. " Well then my dear. I guess we're roomies now." He took her bags, lead her inside, and shut the door behind them. " Welcome to my humble abode.

Sango looked at his living room. From the black leather couch, to the Japanese water colors, it all screamed 'Miroku'. She was sure if she saw his bed, there would be innumeral notches in his bedsposts. She had stepped into a world centered around Miroku, lechery, and sex.

Oh heavens. What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

AUTHORS NOTE

Okay, well. This is my first Sango and Miroku fic, so I'm HOPING it's not too bad.I'm planning on this having 9 chapters: Prologue, A Chapter for each day she's there, and the Epilogue. Wow, I finally planned one out. But anywho, please review. Heh he... I rhymed...

MELLY


	2. Love Thy Neighbor: Chapter 1

Love Thy Neighbor - Chapter 1

* * *

-DAY 1, SUNDAY-

Just a week. Only 7 days. A mere 168 hours. It was NOTHING in the grand scheme of things! But, when you're cooped up with a playboy in his "domain" it seems like an eternity. As soon as Sango had gotten herself situated in the guest room, with its leopard print bedding and matching rugs and draperies, Miroku had come in to ask if she needed any help, a gleam in his eye. Standing by the bed, Sango thought he may not have meant help with unpacking. She wondered if she'd be able to get any of her school work done if he was going to be traipsing about the apartment with no shirt on.

" Um...I think I can handle it." She wondered why he was still grinning so lecherously. She then looked down and realized she had been pulling out her bras and panties. Sango quickly shoved them back inside of her bag and tossed it into a chair.

" Well, clearly you have things under control here. But if you need any help I'll be more than willing to offer my services." With a wink and a grin, he walked down the hall towards his bedroom. Sango wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know what, exactly, his "services" were, but had a foreboding feeling that she'd find out. She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. She wondered briefly if she should work on one of her 5 essays, but when she ran her hand through her hair and noticed the oil in it, a shower sounded like a MUCH better idea.Sango gathered her toiletries and a change of clothes. She wandered out into the hall and opened the first door she came to. She let out an audible gasp and turned an impressive shade of red. What she had thought to be the bathroom was actually Miroku's bedroom, and he was standing, with his back to her, wearing nothing more than a tie to hold his hair back. Without thinking, Sango glanced at his backside.She averted her eyes when thoughts of what it might feel like flitted through her mind.

" Like what you see?"

If she'd had a gun she would have shot herself. Sango realized he was standing in front of a mirror, so he had seen when she'd come in, as well as when she'd been checking out his "assets".

" I um, I was just, er....l-looking for the bathroom....." The sight of this man naked had brought Sango's speech capability to practically nothing.

" It's the door at the end of the hallway." Miroku was obviously fighting to keep a laugh inside. He was almost unbearably conceited, and then he had the gall to turn around! Sango left quickly so she wouldn't have to gouge her eyes out in the shower.

* * *

Usually Miroku wasn't intentionally mean to women, but he loved to get a rise out of Sango. It seemed like the slightest thing could embarrass her, or tick her off. He was actually quite pleased with his current roommate. What red-blooded, heterosexual male DIDN'T want a beautiful young woman living in his apartment? Miroku suddenly began to imagine what Sango was doing in the shower. HIS shower, where she was naked, and wet, and running soap all over her body. He was very tempted to just go hop right in with her. But he didn't feel like getting slapped physically or with a sexual harassment charge. With a glance at the clock, he pulled on jeans and a plain black t-shirt. After slipping into his shoes, he put on his watch, grabbed his wallet, and headed for the bathroom. Not wanting to scare her by simply barging in, he knocked on the door.

" Sango?" He knocked again. No answer. He cracked the door open, and heard Sango's singing. It was slightly off key, but still pleasant. "Sango?" The singing abruptly stopped. Miroku couldn't stop grinning. He loved the effect he had on her.

" What do you want?" She was glad the shower curtain wasn't see-through. Still, the fact that only a thin sheet of vinyl separated them disturbed her. One quick tug and she'd be giving Miroku a free show.

" I was just going to tell you that I'm going out for a while."

"Oh, um, all right." Sango had the urge to cross her arms over her chest. To her it felt dirty to be standing so close to someone, naked. But Miroku was reveling in this fact. Sango was a complete mystery to him, one he would delight in solving. But, he felt like being a gentleman today, a feeling he rarely felt. He left the bathroom with a cheery farewell, exited the apartment, and drove towards Tokyo.

* * *

Sango had never been an overly nosy person, but she was hungry. Pawing through Miroku's cabinets somehow seemed like it was violating his privacy, but hey, a girl's gotta eat! She pulled open the first cabinet door. Instant ramen, a positively ancient can of soup, and a book of matches. Hmm, not very good prospects. She tried the next one. A six pack of cheap (but not bad at room temperature) sake. Had this guy never met a grocery store? Seeing as how most people only bought the necessities, Sango opened the fridge. Jackpot. It was crammed full of assorted raw meats, deli meats, cheeses, vegetables, and sushi out the wazoo. She grabbed a small box of vegetarian sushi, made a mental note to pay Miroku back, and dug in. After about three bites, Sango had a weird burning feeling in the back of her throat. She spat out the half-chewed food and rinsed her mouth out with water. She inspected the rest of the food with her fork and found the source of the problem. On top the sushi looked fine, but inside there were blue spots of mold. Sango checked the expiration date. The date read nearly three months ago! She went back to the fridge and checked everything else. There wasn't a single thing in there that wasn't well over it's expiration date! Now, Sango usually prided herself in having a cast iron stomach, but she had to draw the line somewhere. And as it just so happened, mold sat right on the other side of that line. As she raced to the bathroom, one thought hit her. Please, don't let me stain his carpet!

* * *

The traffic had been murder, and right now Miroku wanted nothing more than to fall into bed and sleep for about a week. He fished in his pocket for his house key and upon producing it, he unlocked the door and blinked into the darkness of his living room, Did Sango have a thing against lights? He hit the switch and looked around. No sign of her. Miroku dumped his keys and wallet on the small table by the door, and headed to his kitchen in search of that sake he had bought the other day. He popped open a can and was about to take a sip when he noticed his fridge. Having not opened it in a while, it struck him as odd that it would be open. Obviously Sango had been really hungry to just leave it open like that. How rude! He walked over to close it and turned his nose up at the sight that greeted him. Everything in there must be pretty old. Time for a cleaning. Hopefully Sango hadn't eaten any of this. Miroku sighed, shut the fridge, grabbed his sake and made his way back to his room. Purely out of curiosity (yeah right..), Miroku stuck his head into the guest room. No lights and the bed was empty. It was nearly midnight. Surely Sango wasn't out somewhere this late on a Sunday night. Just as he was about to go into his room, he heard a little moan. Not that these were uncommon in his apartment, but usually they were caused by him, and seeing as how he was in the hall, that left only two possible explanations. A: Sango had brought some guy into his apartment. Miroku didn't particularly like the surge of jealousy that coursed through him at this thought. Or B: Sango was hurt. He went down the hall to the bathroom and opened the door. Sango was leaning against the tub, her hair pulled back from her face, which looked abnormally pale. He glanced at the toilet and wished he hadn't. Obviously she had eaten something from the fridge.

" Am I dying?"

The question shocked Miroku. Could someone die from eating mold? Surely not. After all, it seemed like it was all out of her system now. " How long have you been in here?" He crouched down beside her. The odor of the bathroom was foul, making Miroku's stomach churn. Sango reached over and pulled his arm close, studying his watch.

" Five and a half hours." She looked exhausted. She picked up a washcloth from the side of the tub and wiped her face off.

" Do you need to go to a doctor or something?" Miroku couldn't explain it, but he felt like he needed to help her, to protect her. But that was silly. It wasn't like a mad ax-man was after her. She just had a queasy stomach.

" No... I just need to sleep. Could you help me to bed?" Miroku thought he could help her to bed, in bed, and many other ways, none of them appropriate for the situation.

Miroku felt a wave of desire run through him when he helped her up off the floor. Being very gentle, he lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the bathroom. Hopefully once she got away from the smell, she'd feel much better. Using his foot to open the door, he crossed the room and laid her on the bed. Sango's eyes were closed before her head touched the pillow, and Miroku smiled as he pulled the covers up to her chin. It was strange, even after a nearly 6 hour puking session, this woman still looked incredibly attractive. Resisting the urge to climb in bed beside her, he turned, closed the door, and went to his own bed. As he was falling asleep, he couldn't help but give a small chuckle. Sango had been with him less than 24 hours and already she'd walked in on him naked and had become a close personal friend of his toilet. Miroku had a feeling that the rest of the week could only get better.

* * *

AUTHORS NOTE

Ok, not my best writing session ever, but it'll have to do. I was inspired at the start of the chapter, but lost that high after the first hour. So please review, and be BRUTALLY honest. I love honest people. Thanks to **_skylark624, Serenedy, Nessa03, YoukaiTajaiyaSango, Sango0808, inufan2004, evilsweetness, Dreamer-chan, shelley, FluffyLemonn, BabyXbOoX143, silent hanyou, Aamalie, and Numisma _**for reviewing! All of you wonderful people deserve a kiss! But, perhaps not from me... Just in case I don't get another chapter up before the Holidays (but I'm planning on getting at LEAST one up), **_MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!_**

xo-Melly


	3. Love Thy Neighbor: Chapter 2

Sorry about the long wait. Due to a lack of inspiration, a.k.a. writers block, I was unable to write anything for nearly a month. Sigh, lack of creativity sucks. But HOPEFULLY this chapter will make up for the long wait. AND, I promise the next chapter won't take as long to get up.

MELLY

-REVIEW REPLIES-

Ok, it seems I had several questions about the last chapter, so allow me to answer them.

**_Numisma_**- Yes, if mold gets in your mouth it burns. I think it has something to do with it touching saliva, because it doesn't burn your skin if you touch it. Also, thanks for the suggestions, and I went back and fixed the errors in the last chapter. And I think the chapter is rushed because I honestly couldn't think of anything to do with Sunday. I have every other day of the week planned out so I am aiming for longer and better chapters.

**_Wyze guy_**- Six packs of sake are rare. The only place you can find them is in REALLY cheap liquor stores or Mimi-Marts in Japan. I check to make sure that things like this are accurate before I put them into my story.

**_skylark_**- Another guy..hmmmm. That would be interesting...

**_Divine-Red-Crayon_**- The thing with Miroku leaving does have a reason. It wasn't just some random thing I did to get him away from Sango. Also, vegetarian sushi's not all that uncommon, it's usually made with peppers and carrots.

Also, thanks to **_Samsam111, silent hanyou, BaByXbOoX143, Kitty, Sango0808, Nessa03, silver-sugar, FluffyLemonn (I'll make sure and tell Miroku that he's supposed to give you that kis), YoukaiTajaiyaSango, deewee, Shakujou-chan, Mikkasura, clairebrooks, crazyamzy, Polgara, Anne, miroku-lover22, Ebony Black, lady-inuyasha14, cas, Hiei/Fluffy/Phibby, SanMirLover421, Setine, FlameKittiKitti, Evil-Zukin_**, and anyone else I may have forgotten.

ENJOY!

xo-Melly

* * *

Love Thy Neighbor - Chapter 2

* * *

-DAY 2, MONDAY-

What they say is true. Monday is the WORST day of the week. Well, at least it is when you have to get up at five A.M. to go to school after you've spent the night before puking your guts out. And on top of that, Sango had never been a "morning person". But apparently Miroku was. For the last twenty minutes, he had been singing loudly from the bathroom, and Sango was dreaming of the day when her apartment was inhabitable again.

Finally giving in to the inevitable, Sango threw aside the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She still had on her clothes from yesterday, and a faint odor was clinging to them. With a sigh, she got up, and walked out into the hallway, heading for the bathroom. She knocked sharply.

" Yes? "

" I, uh, I...", Sango mentally slapped herself for becoming so tongue-tied. " I need to take a shower." She waited for his answer, and was about to speak again, when the door opened and steam rolled out into the hallway. Oh yes, Miroku was most definitely evil. He stood in the doorway clutching a towel to his waist and with a cocky grin plastered on his face. Sango had the strangest urge to jump on him and wrap her legs around his middle.

" It's all yours. " Sango didn't fail to notice that as he stepped past her he made sure to brush his arm against hers. Flirtatious bastard. She stepped inside, locked the door behind her and pressed her back to it. Her insides were doing cartwheels! If this happened every time she saw him half-naked, Sango doubted she'd be able to make it through the week with her sanity intact.

* * *

" So THEN I told my boyfriend, 'Sweetie, if you're gonna date me, you'll HAVE to wear ALL the latest fashions, and drive the HOTTEST cars, and yadda yadda yadda...". Miroku continued to nod and put in an occasional "Mmhm" while he only half-listened to his bosses secretary carry on and on about her oh-so-important love life. Miroku enjoyed his job at Hakurei,Hakurei, and Fuji, one of Yokohama's most prestigious law firms, but the conversation in the outer offices was somewhat less than stimulating. He had been working there for nearly four years now as a paralegal, and still he had never even heard his superiors even hint at him being promoted. But right now, Miroku's mind wasn't on his career or the woman gabbing incessantly in his ear. He was thinking about Sango. Hell, he hadn't STOPPED thinking about her since she had shown up on his doorstep Saturday night. Every time he started to get some work down on a case, her image would appear in his mind and he'd completely forget what he had been doing five seconds ago.

" Don't you think? "

Miroku looked up to find Miss Chatterbox looking expectantly at him. Really, why was this girl on the payroll? She must have been sleeping with all of the partners. Yeah, that was the only reason. "I'm sorry, what did you say? "

" Hmph, Miroku, have you even heard a single word I've said? "

Miroku could only grin sheepishly. " Sorry, but I've got work to do." He grabbed a folder stuffed full of papers and headed out to the copy room. Well, maybe in there he could get some work done.

" Excuse me sir! Excuse me!"

Miroku turned around just in time to see a young man collide with a mail cart. The poor mail carrier toppled over the cart and landed spread-eagle on his back. Miroku walked over and helped straighten everything up.

" Oh geez, I'm real sorry! " The young man winced as he said this. It was kinda pathetic how timid he was. " I was looking for Mr. Hakurei Sr. Can either of you point me in the direction of his office? "

Ahh, so this must be the new paralegal. Hakurei Sr. had mentioned to Miroku that they were hiring another man to help out since their case load had stacked up. But Miroku had expected someone older than himself. Not this kid.

" His office is this way. My name's Miroku, I work for the firm." Miroku extended his hand, and the young man shook it eagerly.

" Oh, wow, nice to meet you! I'm Naitou! It's my first day here, and I was HOPING to make a good impression, but I got lost because I thought the office was on the fifth floor when it's actually on the fifteenth. It's so easy to get things mixed up, you know?" Naitou got all of this out without taking a breath. The kid had energy. He followed Miroku to a wooden door with a pane of frosted glass set in it.

" Go straight through here and tell the receptionist who you are. She'll get you all set up."

" Oh geez, thanks a bunch!" Naitou flattened his disheveled hair, and stepped inside the office.

Miroku let out a sigh. Hopefully he wouldn't have to work with the kid very often. Someone as scatterbrained as him might be more of a liability than an asset. Then again, if the firm had hired him, he must not be terrible. With that thought resolved, Miroku made his way to the copy room, in search of a nice quiet place where he could get a little work done and try NOT to think about the tempting young woman that was currently living with him.

* * *

" All right everyone, I want your final essays handed in to me no later than Thursday. Class dismissed."

' Finally.' Sango thought. She hated Mondays. One of the reasons was because her family had died on a Monday. Not a very good message to get from the schools guidance counselor. But another reason why she hated Mondays was because they seemed to purposely make everything slow. Classes, driving, annoying temporary roommates leaving for work. Everything taunted you because the weekend was over, and your free time was gone for five more days.

Sango was just closing her bag when someone bumped her from behind, causing her to knock her bag off of her desk. Books, paper, writing utensils and various other things that had been inside of Sango's bag scattered across the floor. With a dejected sigh, she bent down and started to gather her things. She didn't pay much attention to the person helping her with the chore, until she looked up and stared into the greenest eyes she had ever seen. They were like two perfect emeralds. Before she could regain her power of speech, 'Mr. Green Eyes' grinned at her in a way that seemed awfully familiar.

" Sorry 'bout that. But you might wanna throw that away."

"Uh.." Sango looked down at her hand, and found it covered in black ink. Apparently one of her pens had broken. She rifled through her stuff with her clean hand, trying to find a tissue.

" Here." Green eyes pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and began wiping her hand clean. What guy carried around handkerchiefs?

" Thank you. But, won't that ink ruin it?"

" It doesn't matter."

" Well...thank you."

" Oh, don't thank me. It was my fault in the first place." After shoving her last book into her bag for her, he stood and made his way to the door.

" Wait!"

He turned around, smiling. "Yes?"

"...What's your name?"

" Shigure. Shigure Buradoshi." With a wink, Shigure left. That name sounded so familiar, but, at that second Sango couldn't place it.

After throwing the busted pen away and hauling her bag onto her shoulder, Sango left the school and headed back towards the apartment complex. Even though she walked through the city nearly every day, Sango rarely took time to examine her surroundings. The college was across from a small park that she had never taken the time to visit, and it sat between a high-rise and some privately owned company. Now that she thought of it, it probably wasn't all that safe for her to walk around town at 5 o'clock at night, but since her car had been nice enough not to start this morning, she had to walk to the nearest bus stop.

Sango was about a quarter mile from the bus stop when she heard a car horn. Habitually, she turned to look and saw a black car coming down the street. She looked around and saw only two other people on the sidewalk, both of which were climbing into an SUV that was parallel parked. Figuring the car had been honking at something else, Sango continued on her way to the bus stop. But ten seconds later, the car honked again, this time more insistently. She was ready to give whatever rude imbecile was driving a piece of her mind, when the window rolled down to reveal Shigure.

" Hey there. Need a ride?"

Sango wasn't terribly sure if she should ride with him. Sure, she'd seen him in class, and said hi a few times, but she'd really only met him about thirty minutes ago. She watched as he parked and climbed out.

" I saw you leaving, and I thought you might need a ride. Unless, you live around here." They both looked around. Nothing but office buildings. And why couldn't she remember why his name was so familiar!

" No, I live about twenty minutes from here. I was on my way to catch a bus." Sango fiddled with the strap on her bag.

" Oh well, if you'd let me, I'd like to drive you home to, you know, make up for bumping into you earlier." Shigure gave her an easy grin and she found herself nodding slightly.

" Sure."

His face broke into a grin, and he opened her door for her. A gentleman. Once they were on their way, Sango had to ask.

" Have we met before?"

" Yeah, actually. I bumped into you earlier and you dropped your bag."

Sango rolled her eyes." I meant, any other time. Your last name sounds really familiar."

" I have family that lives around here."

" Oh." She left it at that. It struck her that he hadn't asked her where her home was. " I live in the apartment complex over by he library."

" No kidding! My cousin lives there!"

" Really? What's their name? Maybe I know them."

" His name's Miroku."

Silence descended upon the car like a thick fog. Buradoshi. MIROKU Buradoshi. No WONDER she had recognized the name. And now that she got a good look at him, Shigure resembled Miroku. Well, maybe slightly. He didn't have Miroku's perfect nose, or his pouty lips, but the eyes were virtually the same. The only difference was the color.

"..about a year. Have you two met?"

Sango realized he must have been talking to her. " Err, yes. We've met. We've definitely met."

* * *

Sango had asked Shigure to just drop her off out front. Luckily he hadn't asked any questions, though she hoped he didn't think she was being rude for not letting him walk her to her door. She deposited her bag on the couch and went to the kitchen for a drink of water. She grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it from the faucet. As she sipped, her stomach gave a low growl. She hadn't eaten since lunch, but she wasn't about to eat anything out of the fridge. Sango looked around for a phone book, locating one in his bookshelf. After ordering a pizza, large with mushrooms and pepperoni, she sank down onto the couch and sighed. Glancing down, she spotted an ink stain on her shirt.

" Oh great." Grumbling, she stood up and pulled her shirt over her head, completely forgetting that she wasn't in her apartment.

" Well well well. This certainly is the nicest 'Welcome home' I've ever gotten."

If she'd had a gun, Sango would have killed herself on the spot. There she was, in the middle of Miroku's living room, topless, with the lecher himself standing in the doorway. Mortified was an understatement.

" I uh, had a stain on my shirt." If there was ever a time that Sango wanted to be witty and articulate, now was the time. She clutched her shirt to her chest, and wished she would stop blushing. She had a bra on so it wasn't like he had seen her naked.

" I see. Well," Miroku dropped his keys onto a table, and draped his jacket across the back of the nearest chair. " I'll be in the kitchen, if you need any help."

" I ordered a pizza." It just seemed like the logical thing to say.

" Ok. Mind if we share it?"

" Not so long as you pay half." Sango was feeling defiant all of a sudden. Now that the embarrassment had faded, she felt angry at him for being so casual about it.

" All right. And, I'll pay the tip." Miroku walked over to her and put a finger under her chin, tilting her head back so they were staring into each others eyes. " And maybe we can have a little dessert afterwards." He grinned and teased her with a light peck beside her mouth.

Sango felt like a fool. Standing there, holding her shirt up to her chest while a devilishly handsome man teased the hell out of her. She didn't know if she should slap him or throw him down on the couch and have her way with him. Both options sounded extremely tempting. But, what was she thinking! This was Miroku! Teasing girls was second nature to him. He did it for fun, not because he was interested in a girl. Letting out a low growl, Sango slapped his hand away.

" Sorry, but unlike all the other little girlies that fawn over you, I'm not interested into jumping into your bed at your command." There, she'd said with a straight face. And it was true. She didn't want to be in Miroku's bed if he only wanted her body. So she REFUSED to succumb to his sexual advances.

" Ahh Sango, I think you are not telling the truth. I can see it in your eyes. You want me as badly as I want you." He took her face in his hands and kissed her on the lips. Had all rational thought not completely left her, Sango would have pulled back. But she found herself responding to him, kissing him back. When she felt his tongue lightly brush her lower lip, she granted him the access that he wanted. Kissing Miroku was amazing. She had had a dream like this once, but the reality was a million times better. Just when she thought she was going to pass out, Miroku pulled back with a grin on his face.

" See, I told you you wanted me." Miroku turned and walked away from Sango.

Hesitantly, Sango put her fingertips against her wet and swollen lips. She blinked several times. Had she...just kissed Miroku? She nearly jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang. On shaky legs, Sango made her way to the door, where she paid the delivery boy. After setting the box on the coffee table, Sango sat back down and looked at her hands. Her shirt was still in them. Miroku's kiss had affected her so badly, that she had answered the door to a total stranger half-naked.

* * *


	4. Love Thy Neighbor: Chapter 3

A-N: PLEASE don't beat me for taking so long to update! I can only apologize and offer you this chapter as a token of my love and appreciation. Enjoy!

MELLY

P.S. Just a quick revision of the side characters.

Mr.Genru- Sango and Miroku's landlord.

Naitou- Miroku's new co-worker.

Shigure-(Kudos to those who knew that I borrwed his name fromFruits Basket) Miroku's cousin.

P.P.S. You may all thank adultswim for playing new eps. New eps inspire me. And ya'll watch for episode 118. You're gonna love it!

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Love Thy Neighbor - Chapter 3

* * *

-DAY 3, TUESDAY-

Sango had never been tortured before, but living with Miroku must be a fairly accurate depiction of that lifestyle. Mr. Genru had phoned Sango early that morning to assure her that everything was going quite well at her apartment. If only the same could be said for Miroku's apartment. All night long Sango had been haunted by dreams that involved Miroku, herself, and far too much bodily contact. The after effect left Sango struggling against sweat-soaked sheets.

The one thing Sango had to look forward to today was no school. When they had announced a faculty day, she had sighed in relief. The first thing she planned to do was check on her apartment. Her mind made up, Sango climbed out of bed, and got dressed. After pulling her hair up into a high ponytail, Sango cracked her door open. She didn't need to be caught in any small, confining spaces with Miroku. She was still dumbstruck from his kiss last night. As quietly as possible, Sango made her way to the front door. Just before she was about to congratulate herself on a successful escape, a hand clapped down onto her shoulder.

" Sneaking out? Tsk tsk Sango."

" I'm not sneaking. I was, uh, just trying not to disturb you. Thought you might still be sleeping." Yes, that sounded plausible.

" You're not a very good liar."

Sango clenched her back teeth together. ' Stay clam Sango. He's just trying to get a rise out of you.' She yanked the door open, turned around, and gave him a cold glare. " While I appreciate your generosity for letting me stay here," she shoved his hand off of her shoulder, " where I go and what I do are none of your concerns, so you can keep your nose in your own business. I hope you have a nice day." YES! She'd done it! She'd given him a piece of her mind, and it had felt great! Turning on her heel, Sango made her way to the elevators. Once the door opened, she took one last look at Miroku. He was still standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a smug look on his face. Before Sango could tell him where to stick it, her shoe caught on the threshold of the elevator and she fell face first inside of it. Yes, she had managed to put Miroku in his place, and then he watched her make a complete fool of herself.

* * *

With a chuckle, Miroku shut the door. He didn't know what it was about Sango, but she brought out the evil side of him. The side that thrived on teasing girls. Perhaps it was her fiery temper, but everytime they were near each other they always ended up fighting. And even though they mixed about as well as oil and water, he couldn't stop thinking about her. It wasn't unusual for Miroku to be obsessed over one girl, but this time it was different. Sango was different. She didn't succumb to his flirting. She was untouchable, uncontrollable, a challenge. And if there was one thing Miroku loved, it's a challenge. But that seemed wrong. After many years of womanizing, it seemed like his conscience was trying to speak to him. Well, that was certainly a new development. Was Sango more than just another conquest?

These thoughts were beginning to make Miroku's stomach churn, so he grabbed his keys and headed to his car. Sango was seriously beginning to interfere with his everyday life. Hopefully no one at work would notice. After starting his ignition, he took one last look up at the building and saw Sango yelling at someone on one of the walkways. Poor bastard.

Upon arriving at work, Miroku was greeted by an interesting sight. No one was out in the front part of the office. The secretary (gosh, why couldn't he remember her name?) was always out here, even if she wasn't working. But all was silent. With a shrug, Miroku set his stuff down on his desk and went to get a glass of water. He didn't see Naitou anywhere either. Strange... Had the boss scheduled an off day? No, no reason to. He went back to his desk and blinked. Hadn't he left several case files here last night? Now he was getting slightly annoyed. It was one thing to hide from him, but to touch his stuff was unexcusable. Miroku scooted his chair back and headed for the main office. He rapped sharply on the door and waited. After twenty seconds of silence, he swung the door open.

At first he thought the noise had come from gun being fired. But once the cloud of confetti cleared, he saw his co-workers all grinning at him.

" CONGRATULATIONS MIROKU!"

" I uh...huh?"

Mr. Fuki walked around the desk and clapped Miroku on the back hard enough to knock his glasses down his nose.

" Miroku my boy, you've done some fine work here. And we like to reward people like that! So congratulations! You've been promoted!"

Stunned was an understatement. After four long years it had happened. He was getting some recognition. And boy did it feel good!

" Uh, thank you sir!" Miroku shook the older mans hand. They all jumped slightly when Naitou opened a bottle of champagne and the cork bounced off the wall. Miss Secretary came over and draped her arms around Miroku.

" Congratulations Miroku!"

" Er, thank you." Why did this woman have to wear chokingly large amounts of perfume? After disentangling himself from her, Miroku shook the hands of Mr. Hakurei Sr. and Mr. Hakurei Jr. The father and son team had never seemed to have much use for Miroku, but they were being pleasant enough today. He had never wanted to be rude, but the two had always reminded him of small mountains. He accepted a glass of champagne from Naitou (who seemed to be even more wired than normal) and sipped it slowly. Miroku wanted to celebrate, he really did! But he wanted it to be a private party. For two. With Sango. Why was he thinking these things! He must have needed a break. Yeah, that's it. A little break.

As if reading his mind, Mr Fuji came up behind him and clapped him again, causing his glasses to slide back down. " My boy, we deem it necessary that you take the rest of the week off! We're gonna need some time to finish your new office. So relax, and we'll see you next Monday, Mr. Buradoshi." The old man grinned at him. They were partners now.

" Thank you very much sir. Well, I guess I'll see you all next Monday." Miroku practically bounded from the office. He felt like dancing, or singing, or grabbing someone and telling them his great news. On the way home, Miroku didn't run into a single red light or traffic jam. Man, today really was his day! He glanced out the window and saw a billboard depicting a family playing on the beach. The beach huh? He hadn't been there in several years. It sounded like the perfect place to relax. And the girls in bikinis... Yes, this was DEFINITELY his day.

* * *

The morning argument with the construction company had left Sango drained. She'd walked into her apartment o find them all slacking. They weren't anywhere near done! And now, she sat on Miroku's couch, bored and mad. It was too hot outside to do anything except swim, and of course they had picked today to drain and clean the residents pool. Just as Sango was contemplating taking a nice long soak in the tub, there was a knock on the door. She walked over and pulled it open to reveal a smiling Mr. Genru.

" Sango, I'm sorry about the workmen. I'll make sure that they step up the work. But, I promise, it'll be completely finished by Sunday!"

" Thank you Mr. Genru. And you don't have to apologize." The old man worried about her. He was sweet and kinda like a Grandfather to her. A meddling Grandfather who obviously liked to play match maker.

" You look a little peaked. Maybe you should rest."

" Oh, I'm fine. Just a little bored. There's not all that much to do here, what with it being nearly a hundred degrees outside."

" Well, you could always go down to the beach. There's a nice one less than a mile from here."

One that, truth be told, Sango had visited quite often. It was great place to relax for a while. And on this kind of day, it sounded perfect.

" You know, I think I will go to the beach. Thank you for suggesting it sir!" Sango closed the door and went to pack a beach bag. She could relax, go swimming, and maybe get some sort of a tan on her pale skin. Plus, the beach would be Miroku-free! This was sounding better and better!

* * *

Mr. Genru felt bad for manipulating Sango. After getting that phone call from Miroku (the one in which he had told him he was going to the beach and could he please make sure his answering machine was on), he knew that it would be a perfect opportunity to try and get the two near each other. Even though they seemed not to like each other, he saw right through it. They were made for each other, and as their friend, it was his duty to make sure that they were happy.

* * *

Heaven. Pure Heaven. The sun on his face, the sound of waves breaking on the shore, and ladies in the tiniest bathing suits he'd ever seen. Yep, this beach was Heaven. After being here only ten minutes, Miroku already felt better. The beach was a tranquil place where you could forget everything, even if it was only for a while. But there was one thing Miroku couldn't forget. The feel of Sango's lips. If the beach was Heaven, kissing Sango had been his personal Nirvana. Sure he had kissed dozens of girls before, but this time it was different. And he was craving more. But why Sango? That was the part that boggled him. And to make matters worse, she was suddenly the only woman he found attractive. He must have been going senile. While in the midst of pondering all of this, he absentmindedly watched a young woman lay her towel out on the beach 20 yards away from him. He felt a zing of interest. Yes! Finally! The old Miroku was trying to break through! He watched the girl pull off the sundress she was wearing. Her bathing suit was fairly modest compared to some of the other girls, but Miroku found it fa more appealing. While the others flaunted everything, this one covered, hid things, let his imagination roam freely.

The girl took her wide brimmed hat off and shook out her long, dark hair. This girl looked awfully familiar.. She grabbed a tube of sunscreen from her bag and began applying it liberally. Miroku was enjoying this. So, when he saw her struggle to get it on her back, he knew that it was his civil duty to help the poor damsel in distress.

" Excuse me miss. Would you like some help with that?"

" Oh, thank you so mu-!"

Miroku stared down into Sango's face. Karma was such a bitch at times. This was cruel. VERY cruel.

" Miroku! What are you doing here!" Sango hastily pulled her towel around herself.

" Ummm...beach combing?" Brilliant response Miroku. But he was so transfixed by Sango's legs that his motor skills were waning. She followed the path of his eyes and covered herself, her face now a bright scarlet shade.

" Did you follow me, you pervert!"

" What? I, no! I was here first! Perhaps you followed me! Hoping to sneak a peek Sango?" Heh, perfect response. That remark left Sango sputtering.

" I.. I came here to relax!"

" As did I."

" Well... you... you can just go away!"

Miroku smirked. Sango was absolutely adorable when she was flustered. " So, I take it, you don't want my help with your sunscreen?"

" I'd rather burn!"

Miroku was fairly certain that it wasn't the heat that was causing his body to heat up. " All right. Then you can sit here and burn. I'm going back to my towel." He had made it halfway back when Sango called out to him.

" Fine! You can help me."

Miroku walked back, a satisfied grin on his face. Sango wanted to slap it off. People were staring though, so she layed her blanket back down and turned her back to Miroku. When she felt the cold lotion slide across her back she gasped slightly.

" Too cold?"

" Um, uh, y-yeah." Sango cursed her hormones. Why did Miroku have this effect on her? When she felt him blow on her back all of her nerve endings went off. "Um, what are you doing?"

" Warming it up." She didn't have to look to know that he was grinning. She could hear it in his tone. "There, all done." Sango didn't want to admit her disappointment at that fact.

" T-thanks Miroku." She turned and smiled at him. Her heart skipped when he smiled back. No came the awkward silence. She wished he'd say something. His smile was wreaking havoc on her restraint system. He stood up and she opened her mouth to say something. Before she could ask where he was going, he leaned over, scooped her up and headed for the water.

" H-HEY! What're you doing!" She gulped slightly. She was slung over his shoulder and had a delicious view of his backside. Sango squeezed her eyes shut. " Put me down!"

" Ok." Miroku relinquished his hold on her and dropped her right in the water. He laughed when she came up sputtering.

" You jerk! You asked for it!" Sango shoved his head under, and was going to hold him there, but he managed to break free. She looked around for him, but he was still underwater. All of a sudden, she was lifted from the water and found herself sitting on his shoulders. Attempting to balance herself, Sango grabbed for his head.

" Ow! That's my eye!"

" S-sorry!" Sango let go and they both ended up falling into the water. They surfaced a moment later, laughing and pushing wet hair out of their eyes. Miroku had never heard her laugh before, and the effect was similar to a punch in the gut. All of the noise from the beach was lost to his ears, and all he could register was the sound of her laugh. It was like a spell, drawing him in. He placed his hand on her cheek and it effectively shut her up.

"...M-Miroku?" He watched her throat as she swallowed. His eyes travelled back up to hers and he leaned in. Sango's eyes fluttered shut when she felt his lips brush hers. If he didn't kiss her, she wondered if the longing in her body could kill her. She wet her lips and stoop on her tiptoes. Just before there lips met, a young child bumped into them. Sango was thrown back onto her rear. She blinked several times and looked up to see Miroku with a slightly confused look on his face. She was about to willingly kiss him. MIROKU! The worlds biggest womanizer. Sango had never felt more embarrassed. She scrambled back to her stuff and hastily gathered it all up. She saw Miroku making his way over to her. She couldn't face him just yet. As quickly as she could, she made her way to her car. She drove away so quickly that she left a small dust trail.

Miroku grabbed the last of things and watched Sango peel out of the parking lot. What had he been thinking? That was the problem. He HADN'T been thinking at all. Well, at least not with his brain. With a sigh, he made his way to his car and threw his stuff into the backseat. His lucky day had taken a turn for the worst. He just hoped that when the morning came, Sango was still willing to speak to him. Because now he was more convinced than ever that she wasn't just some conquest. He wanted her in the worst way, and nothing was going to stop him from getting her.

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A-N DEUCE

Ooo la la that took far too long to write! Did you like it? Was it satisfactory? Did it suck more than Miroku's windtunnel ( which he doesn't have in this story FYI)? Tell me! Review!


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